The Facility   Date Built July 19, 2002 Ownership
(Management) Washington State Public Stadium Authority
(First & Goal, Inc.) Surface FieldTurf Cost of Construction $360 million Stadium Financing Extension of county issued bonds serviced by car rental and hotel tax to raise $75 million; 6 additional lottery games to raise $91 million; Paul Allen to provide $100 million. Naming Rights Telecommunications corporation Qwest $75 million over 15 years. Former Names Seahawks Stadium (2002-2004) Stadium Architect Ellerbe Becket and
First and Goal, Inc. General
Contractors /
Construction Managers Turner Construction Company

       Qwest Field is aesthetically nested in the heart of downtown Seattle. The Stadium is split down the center with massive covered seating decks to protect the fans from the Seattle rain. But although visually appealing, these decks are functional in nature as well. Like two gigantic Bose headphones on each side of the field, the covered decks are actually acoustically optimized to direct crowd noise onto the field below. During each defensive series, the hometown crowd takes full advantage of Qwest Field's unique construction as noise levels rise when the opposing offense takes the field. Like two tangible walls of sound, crowd noise infects the field below to disrupt opposing offenses. Qwest Field is easily among the loudest stadiums that I've been in as evidenced by their league leading 60 opponent false start penalties since 2005 (as of October 21, 2007). Their closest competitor in this category resides in the Minneapolis Metrodome where Viking fans have caused only 42. The other nice feature of the Qwest Field design is the view of the Seattle Skyline provided in the South Endzone as the stadium opens up at ground level. It is a very impressive design, a unique blend of steel and brick that provides some protection from the elements, but not enough to disrupt the experience of being in an outdoor stadium that is subject to the elements. The Stadium design is very open, very welcoming. As a fan you get the feeling of communing with the city of Seattle on gameday as skyscrapers rise up around you. The thriving bar scene around Quest Field also provides an excellent venue for gameday celebration or in the event of a loss to drown your sorrows surrounded by compatriots that feel your pain.

The Seahawks' training facility sits on a clearing behind Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash. When the sun is out, as it was Monday on a 70-degree afternoon, the word spectacular quickly comes to mind. The three practice fields -- two grass, one artificial -- are framed by colorful foliage and towering trees. You'd be hard-pressed to paint a more tranquil setting. Then you hear the thud of colliding pads and the bark of energetic assistant coaches. So much for Shangri-La.

Practices are closed to the public because of a scarcity of parking, but that won't be a problem next year when the team is in its new training facility just down the road in Renton. The complex -- which the club actually moves into Aug. 18 -- is a stunning blend of nature and architecture. It is more than three times the size of the current facility and it sits on the shores of Lake Washington.

1. Mike Holmgren isn't letting up in his final season as coach. Holmgren announced in the offseason that he'll step down at the end of the year, after 10 seasons. But if his players thought he might display a kinder, gentler side on the way out, they were mistaken. If anything, Holmgren has been more intense.

During a morning practice Sunday, he waved tight end Jeb Putzier off the field after Putzier dropped his third pass of the morning. In the afternoon workout, he stopped an offensive drill and chided the players when several balls landed on the turf. "He's back to being the Big Show," wide receiver Bobby Engram says affectionately.

Holmgren is determined not to lose his focus. He has talked with himself about not looking ahead or consciously enjoying the ride, adding there will be time for that later. In the meantime, he wants to win a sixth consecutive division title and earn a return trip to the Super Bowl, where the Seahawks narrowly lost to the Steelers three seasons ago.

2. The run game will bear no resemblance to last year, which is a positive. Percentage-wise in 2007, the unit ranked first in negative rushes (15.8) and last in third-and-1 conversions (45.8). The league average in the latter was 71.6. It's little wonder the club made massive changes in the offseason, releasing career rushing leader Shaun Alexander, the offensive line coach and running backs coach.

New line coach Mike Solari is one of the game's more respected teachers, and he has been preaching the need for improvements in technique and fundamentals, not to mention a more aggressive attitude. Free-agent guard Mike Wahle should help provide the latter, with running back holdover Maurice Morris combining with free-agent signees Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to split carries in the backfield.

Holmgren is refusing to name a starter, saying Jones and Morris will both get plenty of work. He says he likes what he sees from Duckett and still is trying to figure out his role, which could include some time at fullback. The players say they're comfortable with the committee approach, although Holmgren is likely to stay with the hot hand if one of them gets rolling.

3. Offensive line lacks cohesiveness. One of the keys to improved play on the offensive line is cohesion, and the Seahawks could be slow to develop that because their projected starters have yet to work together. In offseason minicamps, left tackle Walter Jones, center Chris Spencer and right guard Rob Sims missed all or part of the workouts because of injuries.

In training camp Spencer has been sidelined while recovering from shoulder surgery and backup Chris Gray has been sidelined since Saturday, when he tweaked his back. Solari is glass-half-full guy who views the injuries as opportunities for other guys to step up. But the reality is that the projected starters are going to need time together to build cohesion if they want to hit the season opener running.

4. And Finally in contrary to some peoples opinion which we will for there sake leave un-named THE 49ers WILL NOT WIN THE NFC WEST THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike Holmgren

Career Highlights

Career Record

157-99-0 (Regular Season) 

13-11 (Postseason) 170-110-0 (Overall) 

Super Bowl Wins 1996 Super Bowl XXXI

Championships Won 2005 NFC Championship 1997 NFC Championship 1996 NFC Championship 

Michael George Holmgren (born June 15, 1948 in San Francisco, California) is the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Prior to being named the sixth coach of the Seahawks in January, 1999, Holmgren coached football at the high school, collegiate, and professional level, most notably as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, whom he led to a championship when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI. One of Holmgren's claims to fame is the success he has experienced molding quarterbacks such as Joe Montana, Steve Young and Brett Favre during his tenures in San Francisco and Green Bay. During that time the Green Bay Packers were a consistent winner and Holmgren became known as one of the best coaches in the NFL. Under Holmgren's leadership and play calling, the Seahawks have become an annual playoff team and went to the franchise's first Super Bowl in 2005.

A breif look at Seattles Beloved Coach

Seattle Seahawks 1999- Present

Mike Holmgren resigned from the Green Bay Packers after the 1998 season to accept an eight year head coach contract offered by the Seattle Seahawks. Originally, Holmgren was the Executive Vice President/General Manager and Head Coach of the Seahawks. Following the 2002 season, Holmgren relinquished his duties as general manager to focus exclusively on coaching. Holmgren took the Seahawks to their first postseason since 1988 during his first season with the club in 1999, breaking a 10-year playoff drought. Holmgren has posted a 72-56 (56.3%) regular-season record and a 3-4 (42.9%) postseason record, including an AFC West Division title (1999), one NFC Wildcard berth (2003), four consecutive NFC West Division titles (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007), an NFC championship (2005), and the Seahawks' first-ever berth in a Super Bowl. Holmgren's (and the Seahawks') best season to date was 2005. The team posted the best regular-season 13-3 (81.3%) record in franchise history, set a team record 11 consecutive wins, and won their first playoff game since 1984. Holmgren also molded former Green Bay backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl and Super Bowl quarterback in the 2005 NFL season (much as he did with Favre in the 90s), and coached Shaun Alexander to the NFL's MVP, a 2005 rushing title, and an NFL record 28 touchdowns in a single season. With the 2005 NFC Championship win, Mike Holmgren became the fifth member of a small coaching fraternity that has taken two different NFL teams to the Super Bowl, joining Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves, Don Shula, and Dick Vermeil. Had the Seahawks won Super Bowl XL, he would have become the first head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams, but Seattle fell short, losing 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On January 22, 2008, Mike Holmgren announced he would serve out the remaining year of his contract and end his tenure as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks at the end of the 2008 NFL season[1]. Jim L. Mora, the defensive backs coach, will succeed Holmgren upon his departure.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Most common folk dont get to see Qwest field they way a player usually get to see Qwest field. So I thought I would take it upon myself to give everyone a quick tour.

In this picture Rex gets a great veiw of the Seattle Skyline while on his back.

Julian Peterson gives a guided tour for Alex Smith of the 49ers. Alex was actually looking to purchase a #8 hasselbeck jersey. 

Curt Warner apparently was in a restricted area and dealt with quickly.

In this photo Patrick "THE BEAST" Kerney is about to give a personal tour of the turf to Mr Warner.

Marc Bulger was so in ahhh of the veiw of Qwest field that he took a moment to rest his eyes. He also noted that it sounds ARTIFICALLY loud here at Qwest Field.

Rex was told that the best view of the 12th Man flag was to be seated directly on the turf. Rex spent most of that day on turf gazing up at the flag pole.

Tom Ashworth helps a packer player pick up his souvenir Seahawks Football from the turf.

And is this last photo, this is what happens to unruley players that step out of line.

 I hope you've all enjoyed the tour from a Opponents perspective.

It's that time of the year again - training camp time.

The Seattle Seahawks officially begin camp Friday morning at 9:15 a.m. from their Kirkland team headquarters with two-a-day sessions until Aug. 2. With the opening game against the Bills in Buffalo only 44 days away, it's time to take a look at the burning questions facing the Seahawks' offense in the 2008-09 season.

1 Will the running game get it done this season?

The Seahawks think their off-season acquisitions have addressed this question, which was a glaring weakness for the team last season, when Seattle averaged only 101.2 yards per game on the ground, 20th overall in the NFL.

The team jettisoned leading rusher and 2005 NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who led the team with 716 yards rushing and four touchdowns, and signed former Cowboy Julius Jones, as well as the built-like-a-brickhouse TJ Duckett. Seattle also selected running back Justin Forsett in the seventh round of this year's NFL Draft out of the University of California.

The Seahawks are banking that Jones, who rushed for 588 yards and two scores last year while splitting time with Marion Barber, can find explosiveness that helped him rush for 1,084 yards in 2006.

Finally, to shore up the offensive line, the 'Hawks brought in veteran offensive guard Mike Wahle, who spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Wahle is an old-school tough guy, who should remind fans of former guard Steve Hutchinson. New offensive line coach Mike Solari should help to get the line back to top-of-the-league standards.

2 OK, we might have a running game, but who will Matt Hasselbeck throw the ball to?

Wide receiver may be the biggest question mark for Seattle this season. Bobby Engram returns as the team's top receiver, having hauled in 94 passes last season for 1,147 yards. But Engram's age has to become a factor; the man is 35. Engram, who has stated his hopes for a contract extension with the Seahawks, will have to have a stellar season to earn that wish.

Nate Burleson had the most touchdown catches (nine) for Seattle last season, and will have to become a bigger part of the offense due to Deion Branch's reconstructive knee surgery that makes his training-camp status a question mark. One of the team's young receivers will have to step up. Maybe it will be Courtney Taylor? Or Logan Payne, or Ben Obomanu? The 'Hawks four preseason games will give the young trio a chance to prove themselves.

3 Who is going to kick?

Josh Brown's right foot won more games in Seattle than the Seahawks care to admit following Brown's departure to arch-rival St. Louis. So while Brown is kicking in mop-up time for the hapless Rams, Seattle looks to replace the man with the golden leg.

The 'Hawks thought rookie Brandon Coutu had enough potential to warrant a seventh-round pick out of Georgia, where the was 51-of-64 for field goals and did not miss an extra point. He'll face off against Olindo Mare in training camp.

4 Where will tight end John Carlson fit into the Seahawks plans?

The Seahawks drafted Carlson in the second round, deciding he was the most NFL-ready of the tight ends in the draft. Seattle likely will run many offensive sets with two tight ends. Is Carlson ready to step up and be a big-time part of the Seattle offense? A dangerous tight end could give the Seahawks a valuable receiving option the 'Hawks have lacked in recent years.

ONCE AGAIN THE NFC WEST WILL RUN THROUGH SEATTLE!